US importers must provide China postal codes

All importers are required to comply with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which came into effect on the 21st June 2022, with the requirement to submit China postal codes, to prove that goods have not come from the Uyghur region, mandatory from the 18th March 2023.

In December 2021 President Joe Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) into law, to prohibit the importation of any goods made with forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China.

The act established several enforcement mechanisms and procedures, which will be further strengthened from the 18th March 2023, when US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) will require importers to report the China Postal Code associated with the company identified by the Manufacturer Identification Code (MID).

This requirement was originally scheduled for November but has been delayed.

The new validations will be required when:

  • The People’s Republic of China (CN) is selected as a manufacturer’s country of origin for entry
  • CN is selected as a manufacturer’s country of origin when a Manufacturer Identification Code (MID) is created, or
  • An existing MID with Country of Origin ‘CN’ is updated

The new validations will be:


  • Postal code will be a required field
  • Users will receive an error message if the postal code provided is not a valid Chinese postal code
  • Users will receive a warning message when a Uyghur region postal code has been provided

Importers have two options to respond to a CBP detention under the Uyghur Act:

  • Provide information to prove that the import is fully outside the scope of the Uygur Act
  • Request an exception to CBP’s rebuttable presumption if the imported items fall within the scope of the Uyghur Act

We would urge importers to use the weeks before launch, to confirm the postal codes for their manufacturers in China and avoid cargo detention.

Noatum Logistics has been providing sea and air services into the USA for over 50 years experience, with our long-term local partners providing national Customs Brokerage, with same day clearance and delivery available at many entry points.

We can assist companies with Uyghur Act compliance, including guidance on conducting a supply chain audit, implementing due diligence and supply chain visibility. If you would like to discover our customs services in the United States, or have any questions about UFLPA compliance, please email Matt Fullard.

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